


Cold Night In

by BlackCat46



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy, Hayffie, Heavy Angst, everlark, toastbabies - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-02 11:59:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12726237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCat46/pseuds/BlackCat46
Summary: It's a freezing cold night in early December. Katniss and Peeta, along with their children, have decided to join Haymitch and Effie for dinner, much to the little kids' (and Effie's) delight. And when Willow learns that her Auntie Effie isn't as perfect as she thinks, there's tears, heartbreak, and a happy, fluffy ending.





	Cold Night In

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, all! Well, I'm bundled up in as much warm stuff as I can be, and I'm still cold, so because I'm generous, I figured that our favourite characters and the Toastbabies can share in the cold, but with a much warmer ending to the evening than I'm having, haha. 
> 
> This takes place around five or six years after the war. I know that in canon, the Toastbabies were born after 15+ years, but for the sake of this story, I've had to twist it a little. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> That said, disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, its characters, or its world. All rights go to Suzanne Collins, and I am not Suzanne. I just like playing around with her characters.

_"Effie? Are you still there?"_ _Peeta asks._

_"Yes, honey," Effie replies distractedly._

_"Are you okay? You sound like you're a million miles away," he says, worried about the older woman._

_There's a scuffling sound, and a man's voice sounds on the other end of the line. "Sorry, kiddo, she's a million miles away from us right now. What's up?" the man asks._

_"Hey, Haymitch. Katniss and I were wondering if you'd mind us bringing Willow and Rye over for dinner," Peeta says._

_"Sure. You four might get Princess out of her stupor," Haymitch sighs._

_There's a tiny whimper, and Peeta asks "How come she's still having episodes?"_

_"They're rare now. She only does this when she's had a bad night," Haymitch says, then there's a tiny squeak of a grunt, and he sighs softly. "There, Princess. It's okay. Yeah, you kids come over. It'll do her the world of good."_

* * *

Effie's curled on the sofa while Haymitch prepares the ingredients for their dinner. "Princess?" Haymitch calls.

"Mm?" Effie hums, slowly coming out of her internal crisis.

"Want to come and taste this cheese?" he calls to her, hoping she'll come to him. Effie drags herself up, her legs too shaky to hold her up, and she slowly makes her way to the kitchen, wobbling, stumbling, and eventually just flopping onto her front on the kitchen floor and whining sadly. Haymitch drops the wooden spoon onto the unit, rushing to his wife's side. He picks her up and checks her over, giving her a kiss, then cuddles her, whispering "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. You could have said that you wanted some cheese, I'd have come for you. You poor little thing."

He puts her on her chair, which is soft with cushions, and has padded arm rests, just for days like these. As he tries to let go, she sadly whimpers "Don't let go of me..."

"I have to, Princess, or the food won't be ready for cooking," he tells her gently, then lets go of her to finish preparing their food. Once he has everything ready to be put in the pans and cooked, he goes back to her and cuddles her close. "I've got you, sweetheart."

She presses her face against his stomach, sniffling. "Haymitch, why do I have a horrible feeling that something bad is going to happen?" she asks, her arms around his waist.

"It's just because of where your mind is, Princess," he tells her quietly, petting her. "Nothing bad will happen."

"Promise?" she asks, sounding like a little girl.

"I promise," he tells her, wanting to ensure that nothing bad ever happens to her again.

There's a knock on the door, and Effie whispers "The kids?"

"The kids," Haymitch confirms.

"Did they bring the babies?" she asks, hope seeping into her voice.

"Yeah," he chuckles. "I really hope this isn't you getting broody for a baby, Princess."

"No," she says quietly. "I like babies, but I don't want my own. I like it when they're other people's responsibility."

Haymitch chuckles, giving her a kiss. "Fine by me, sweetheart," he whispers, then studies her. "Do you feel like you could manage to walk to the door if I hold you?"

"Yes," Effie whispers. Haymitch helps her to her feet, his arm around her waist as she winds her arm around his neck. They walk to the door together to open it, and immediately, Effie smiles at the sight of Katniss, Peeta, Willow, and Rye. Willow, ever the bouncing little girl, attacks Haymitch around the waist, and little Rye squeals at the sight of Effie. Much like their parents, the babies have decided which of their parents' friends they adore most. Effie squeals "Hello, my darlings!"

She gives Katniss and Peeta kisses, kisses the top of Willow's head, then takes Rye from his father. At five months old, Rye knows perfectly well that Effie will give him whatever he wants as soon as he squeals for it. Everyone knows how taken she is with the small boy. Willow looks up to Haymitch and stage-whispers "Auntie Effie's under Rye's thumb."

Haymitch laughs. "Yeah, I know she is. She's a sucker for a pretty face. She's very much under your thumb, too," he says, scooping the little girl up.

Katniss asks "So now that you've relieved us of our kids, what's for dinner?"

"We're having chicken in orange sauce and fries," Haymitch says, then kisses Willow's nose, listening to her delighted shriek with relish. "You like the sound of that, sweet pea?"

"Uh huh!" Willow giggles, then snuggles up to Haymitch.

Effie's happily cooing at Rye, watching the little boy laugh at her. "You are the most beautiful baby boy I've ever seen," she coos at him, stroking his cheek with one finger. "Yes, you are. You're the most beautiful, perfect baby boy I've ever seen, my little angel. You're so adorable! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

Peeta smiles a bit, watching how the older couple interact with the tiny children. He's surprised by how good Haymitch is with Willow, given that he's forty seven and hates children, but the real surprise to him was Effie. He knew Haymitch would love the little girl, given that she's so much like a small Katniss, and her first word was  _Mitch_ for her beloved uncle, but he'd never suspected Effie to even consider looking at a baby, much less doing everything she could with one. So when she'd come to see Katniss in the hospital after Rye's birth, he was astounded at how quickly Effie had taken to Rye. She'd been obsessing over him ever since she'd first held him, which had come as a bit of a shock to everyone. Haymitch had even worried that she might want her own baby after seeing her with Rye. She'd loved Willow, of course, and still does, but she and Rye have a connection that's as strong as the one between her and Peeta. She carries Rye to the kitchen, babbling away to him, and Peeta asks "So, do you think she's feeling better?"

"Yeah," Haymitch chuckles. "Like I said, kids always make her feel better. I guess it's because she doesn't feel like they hate her."

"Why would anyone hate Auntie Effie?" Willow asks, her eyes like saucers at the idea.

"Do you remember when we had that talk?" Katniss asks softly. "About how Daddy and I did a lot of bad things, long before you were born?"

"Uh huh," Willow says, not quite at the conclusion yet.

"Well, Auntie Effie did bad things too," Katniss tells her. "Not like Daddy and me, because Auntie Effie didn't know she was wrong, and she learned too late, so she was trapped and forced to do the bad things against her will. Lots of people don't know that, and they hate her for what she did. Don't bring it up with her, because she doesn't like remembering, and it'll make her sad. You don't want to make Auntie Effie sad."

Willow shakes her head, scared for her aunt. "Is that why she has all those lines on her?" the little girl asks.

"Yeah, it is," Haymitch tells her. "But don't mention them, either. Your aunt will tell you when she's good and ready."

"Are you telling her this already?" Effie asks, sounding sad. "I wanted to be here for it."

"Eff, we had to tell her," Haymitch says gently.

"Well, how much did you tell her?" Effie whispers, cuddling Rye close, tears in her eyes.

"Just enough to make sure she understands that none of it was your fault," Peeta tells her gently.

"Well, in that case, I will take it from here," Effie whispers, then hands Rye to Peeta before taking Willow from Haymitch. "Come, my little one. We have much to discuss."

* * *

Two hours later, Willow comes running downstairs, and the adults can hear Effie crying upstairs. "What's up with Auntie Effie, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks.

"She bad," Willow whispers, horrorstruck. "She horrible."

"What did she say to you?" Katniss asks, ready to either kill Effie or make Willow go upstairs and soothe her.

"She pick the names," Willow whispers. "She chose who died. She  _liked_ it. She horrible."

"Willow, you didn't let her finish," Peeta says. "When she understood, she wanted to stop, but she couldn't. She had Uncle Haymitch, she had her parents and siblings, and she had us. The old President would have hurt everyone she loves if she'd stopped, and then we wouldn't have you or Rye. And she loves you. If anything happened to you, she'd be crushed. You need to go and tell her that you're sorry for upsetting her."

"But she was bad," Willow whispers.

"She knows that," Haymitch says, petting the little girl's hair. "She didn't want to tell you because she knew this is how you'd react to the story. She liked it when you loved her because she's nice. You're special to her, and she liked being special to you, small thing. Has she ever been horrible to you?"

"No," Willow admits. "But she was horrible before."

"So? I was too," Haymitch says. "Do you hate me?"

"No!" the little girl gasps.

"So why do you hate Auntie Effie, then?" Haymitch asks. "She only did what she had to do, like Mommy did, like Daddy did, like I did."

"But..." Willow murmurs. "But she  _picked_ who died."

"She had to," Haymitch tells her gently, then he hears it. Silence. "Okay, you stay here, I'm going to go and see to your aunt."

He runs upstairs and finds Effie asleep on their bed, still crying. He shakes her gently, waking her up. She screams loudly, hitting him with a pillow, then wails "Get away! Away! Away!"

He grabs her arms and murmurs "Just me, little stuff. It's okay."

"How long was I asleep?" she asks.

"About five minutes. I was worried when you went quiet," he says.

"Oh. Well, it's okay. How's Willow? She seemed very distressed," she whispers, shaking violently.

"She's coming to terms with what you told her," Haymitch sighs. "Oh, Eff. You know that girl loves you. She's only small, it's going to be a shock to her little mind."

"I know. I was very silly to tell her. I should have held on to what little time I had left before she found out and decided to hate me properly," Effie whispers. "I'll get dinner cooked, and I'll make myself scarce. I'm not ready for the disgust on her little face."

"She won't be disgusted by you," Haymitch tells her, giving her a hug. "You're her auntie, she adores you. Come downstairs, Princess."

Effie sighs. "I'm trusting you," she whispers, then gives him a kiss. She follows him downstairs, then quietly calls "WIllow?"

Willow gets out a tiny bottle with a dropper and squirts it at Effie, the liquid spraying her dress. Effie shrieks and WIllow squeals "The power of Christ compels you!"

Haymitch and Katniss burst out laughing, and Peeta snaps "I  _told_ you not to let her watch that movie! Now look!"

"Begone, demon!" Willow shrieks.

"Who gave her holy water?" Haymitch wheezes.

"I did," Katniss says. "She was scared of vampires getting her."

"Your fault," Peeta huffs. "Willow, stop spraying your aunt with that stuff!"

Effie turns on her heel and runs from the room, crying. "Well, now look," Haymitch sighs, sobering up from his hilarity quickly and chasing after Effie. He catches hold of her and kisses her cheeks. "Oh, Princess, you know what she's like. She does love you."

"She thinks I'm a monster," Effie sobs. 

"That's my fault. Well, it's partially Kat's too... We let her watch a vampire flick with us, and now she thinks that anyone with a dark past is a vampire. She did this to her parents too. They're probably spanking her now for upsetting you," he tells her.

A slap and a squeal sound from the living room and Effie breaks free of Haymitch's grip, running for the living room. She pulls Willow out of her mother's hold and hugs her close. "No! Don't!" Effie shrieks. "This is not a spank-worthy situation! Are you okay, Willow?"

Willow sobs and burrows against her aunt's chest. "I sorry, Auntie Effie," she sobs.

"Thank you, baby girl, but it's okay. I have the full story now. It's okay. I've got you, you're safe," Effie murmurs, kissing the top of the little girl's head. "Would you like to help me make dinner tonight, baby?"

Willow sniffs, nods, and burrows against Effie. "Okay. I love you," Willow mumbles.

"I love you too, baby girl. Come on, we'll go make the best dinner ever, yes?" Effie murmurs, snuggling the little girl.

"Yes," Willow echoes, cuddled close to her aunt.

* * *

After the meal, Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, and Rye all huddle up on the sofa to watch a Christmas movie, and Willow curls up on Effie's lap, both of them wedged on the armchair together. "Auntie Effie?" Willow murmurs, warm and happy under the dark red fleece belonging to her aunt. 

"Yes, my love?" Effie murmurs back, cuddling her.

"What were you doing on the day I was born?" Willow asks.

"Helping your uncle," Effie murmurs. "He was scared silly, because anything could have happened. We both were worried sick, then your daddy came out of the ward to tell us that your mommy had just given birth to the most beautiful little girl in the world. We were allowed to come in and see you."

"What was it like?" Willow asks, curiosity sparking in her eyes. 

"It was incredible. We saw your mommy looking happier than we've ever seen her, and in her arms lay a gorgeous baby girl, with the biggest blue-grey eyes in the world, and hair that rivalled the darkest ink. Your mother allowed me to hold you, and as soon as I had hold of you, I swore that nothing would ever harm you. Nothing at all. It would have to go through me first," Effie tells her, cuddling her close. "Your mommy and daddy asked me to be your godmother, and I said yes. They teased me every day about how much I love you, asking me whose baby you really are. And do you know what I told them?"

"What?" Willow asks eagerly.

"That you're my goddaughter, and I have every right to adore you beyond measure," Effie tells her. "You're my little angel."

Willow smiles up at her aunt and mumbles "I love you, Auntie Effie," before she pillows her head on her aunt's arm and falls asleep.

None of the others have noticed the exchange, and Effie smiles, thinking of how perfect her family is, and how much she'd love to contribute more than she already has, falling asleep with her cheek on Willow's head.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope that was okay for you. As always, let me know what you thought, if you have any constructive criticism, and if you have anything you'd like to share. 
> 
> How have you all been? 
> 
> Much love and happiness to you all. Until next time. Cat xxx


End file.
